New York (PTI): President George W. Bush has said he is opposed to efforts to scrap the H-1B visa programme under which thousands of Indian information technology experts have been brought to the US.

“The H-1B programme is important to the US. I understand the current cap is approximately 200,000 and I will seek to maintain a strong H-1B programme,” Bush was quoted as saying by the India Abroad newspaper here.

The President’s comments came during an interaction with Indian-Americans on the occasion of a Bush-Cheney fund-raiser reception recently.

hen asked about H-1B bills on the floor of the House of Representatives, especially the Resolution 2688 moved by Republican Congressman Thomas Tancredo seeking to terminate the programme, Bush said: “Tancredo and me are at opposite ends of the pole. I fully do not support Congressman Tancredo’s bill against H-1Bs.”

Paresh Shah, a participant, raised the issue with Bush on behalf of an eight-member Indian delegation at Jackson, Mississippi, at the reception attended by top contributors who donated $10,000 each.

Air hostess age plea rejected

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has rejected a petition by the Air-India cabin crew union seeking a review of the apex court’s judgment that had lowered the flying age of air hostesses.

A division bench of Justices Doraiswamy Raju and D.M. Dharmadhikari reiterated its judgment on the issue and declined to grant permission to the petitioners, including the Air hostesses’ Association.

On July 11, the Supreme Court had set aside a judgment of Bombay High Court that allowed air hostesses to fly till the age of 58. The apex court fixed the flying age till 50 and directed the airlines to give “suitable” ground duties to the air hostesses once they crossed that age limit. Their male counterparts, however, could fly till the age of retirement.

The Air hostesses’ Association contended that it was a “bias” on the basis of the “gender”.

2 Chinese held in visa case

Bahraich (PTI): Two Chinese nationals were arrested for trying to enter Nepal without a valid visa.

Superintendent of police Raja Srivastava said Long Sung Tenzing and Long Sung Jampa were trying to enter Nepal without a valid visa. Passport of another Chinese national was recovered from them, Srivastava said.

Teenager suicide

Mumbai (PTI): A 16-year-old girl allegedly jumped to death from her sixth-floor apartment at Vile Parle in north-west Mumbai due to stress following harassment by a young man. Police said Sonal was being constantly pursued by the youth, who claimed to love her obsessively and was insisting that she marry him. The man has been picked up for questioning.

SP missing

Dehra Dun (PTI): Superintendent of police, Hardwar, Dhoom Singh Tomar, has been reported missing since Tuesday night. DIG Ashok Kumar said Tomar, 45, went for a walk and did not return. Officials suspect Tomar might have committed suicide by jumping into a canal, as his shoes were found near one.

Judge drowns

Kopargaon (PTI): A senior judge of Kopargaon court and a public prosecutor drowned while another judge was hurt when the car in which they were travelling plunged into the Godavari. Justice P.M. Mahajan, public prosecutor Pramod Nikshye and Justice Despande were going to Shiridi when the mishap took place. Mahajan and Nikshye drowned in the river.

Illegal chemicals

Jaipur (PTI): Rajasthan police on Wednesday raided an illegal chemical unloading centre at Shahpura on the Delhi-Jaipur highway and seized liquid chemicals worth Rs 5 lakh. Two persons allegedly involved in the trade of intercepting tankers, unloading chemicals and selling them for a nominal price were arrested, police said.

Chopper mishap

Jammu (PTI): Four people, including two senior Congress ministers, had a narrow escape when the chopper they were travelling in got entangled in electric cables in Leh on Wednesday.

A night heron gave birth to three chicks in the Coimbatore zoo in a rare case of birds breeding in captivity. The pair of herons has been in the zoo for eight years and this is the first time three night heron chicks have been hatched.